The square, multi-tiered containers known as ju-bako are a staple of Japanese tradition, used to carry food to events throughout the year. Elegant lacquerware is the typical format, but we created a porcelain variant that can be used as tableware or storage, diversifying the container’s applications to daily life.
We were told that using porcelain as a material for our Ju-bako would be quite complicated. This is because clay has a tendency to bend and warp during the firing process, which would make the walls of the square boxes uneven. It would be next to impossible to produce several identical boxes out of porcelain. Another factor would the rattling sound caused by stacking boxes that had even the smallest irregularities. These and other problems made for a daunting challenge, but the cooperation and ingenuity of the various artisans involved yielded a set of properly square boxes that make only the faintest sound when stacked.
Traditional ju-bako containers are made from wood and lacquer. By reinventing them in porcelain, we have expanded the scope of their versatility for everyday use. Thus our Ju-bako is a new addition to the list of traditional Japanese vessels that have been incorporated into contemporary life. Though we began with the simple white porcelain Ju-bako, we have augmented the line’s allure by applying traditional designs using the inban printing technique.
